Around the Region

Friday

Aug 31, 2007 at 12:01 AM

News briefs from the area and state

More charges filed in sexual abuse case

A Gainesville man who was arrested last Friday after an 8-year-old girl told police he sexually abused her is now facing additional charges from both the Gainesville Police Department and the Alachua County Sheriff's Office for additional incidents involving the girl, according to arrest reports.

John Fitzgerald Jones, 43, was arrested on the charges of sexual battery on a victim under 12, as well as distribution and possession child pornography in connection with several incidents of sexual abuse involving the 8-year-old, whom he met by befriending her family two years ago.

Upon further investigation, officials learned of additional incidents that occurred at several other locations starting when the girl was 6. Three additional charges of sexual battery on a victim under 12 were filed against Jones on Thursday, according to jail records.

Jones' bail was set at $200,000 for the initial charges, but his bail could be changed during his first appearance in court on the additional charges.

- Alice Wallace

Columbia Sheriff's Office warns of possible scam

The Columbia County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about a possible scam involving a caller claiming to work for the Social Security Administration.

The caller tries to verify personal information, sometimes saying that there has been a power outage at the administration's headquarters or that the resident will see a reduction of benefits because of an inheritance, according to the Sheriff's Office. The phone call may seem legitimate because it uses music with messages from the Social Security Administration while the person is placed on hold.

Residents who receive a similar call and are concerned it may be part of a scam can contact (800) 772-1213 for assistance or call their local Social Security Office.

Until the call is verified, do not provide personal information on the telephone, the Sheriff's Office cautioned.

To report possible fraud, contact the Office of the Inspector General at (800) 269-0271 or go to www.socialsecurity.gov/oig/ to report suspicious activity.

The program, known as WeatherBug, displays live weather data using "mesonets," which are networks of surface weather observation stations, according to the county. Users can enter their zip code on the site and get information, including real-time changing weather.

The site provides the current temperature, wind speed and direction and allows the user to view a more detailed forecast or see radar for the area.

To view the information, go to http://www.alachua.fl.us/government/depts/fr/em/weathertools/currentweather.aspx.

- Lise Fisher

Gator Aider service has two new locations

Two new locations will be part of Gainesville's Gator Aider Park-n-Ride service, which offers fans rides during University of Florida home football games.

The Downtown Gator Aider Park-n-Ride site has been moved to the SW Downtown Parking Garage, with the former site at the Downtown Plaza location permanently closed, the city reported.

Vehicles can enter the parking garage from SW 3rd Street off of University Avenue. Tickets for the shuttle service will be sold at the corner of SW 1st Avenue and SW 2nd Street.

Added to the shuttle service is a location at the Tioga Town Center off of Newberry Road on SW 128th Street.

A season pass for the service is available at the Downtown Station for $30. Single tickets can be purchased at Park-n-Ride locations only on game days for $6. Those tickets are good for one game.

The service starts three hours before a home game. The last bus to the stadium leaves 10 minutes before game time with returning buses running from the start of the game's fourth quarter through the first hour after the game.

Other Park-n-Ride sites are at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center, The Oaks Mall south parking lot and Haile Plantation in The Village Center on SW 91st Terrace.

For Gator Aider location maps or other information, go to www.go-rts.com or call (352) 334-2600 for general schedule information.

-Lise Fisher

STATE

Large jury pool sought in boot camp death trial

PANAMA CITY - More than a thousand Bay County residents will be called as potential jurors in the trial of seven former juvenile boot camp guards and a camp nurse charged in the death of a 14-year-old boy.

In a pretrial hearing, Circuit Judge Michael Overstreet said Martin Lee Anderson's death has received so much attention that it will be difficult to seat a jury.

The Sept. 24-27 jury will be held at the city's civic center to accommodate the 1,450 Bay County residents who will be called as potential jurors. The trial, which is scheduled to begin Oct. 3, will be held at the County's juvenile justice center because it has larger courtrooms.

The seven guards and the nurse face up to 30 years in prison if convicted of aggravated manslaughter of a child.

An exercise yard videotape from the camp shows the guards using their fists and knees to repeatedly take Anderson to the ground and then holding ammonia capsules under his nose. The camp nurse watched and did nothing during the 30-minute encounter with the seven men. The teen died hours later on Jan. 6, 2006.